The french Tarot
Discover the secrets of the tarot card game : Rules and history. Perfect for beginners.
A game that doesn't break the mold
Dominoes
Dominoes is a light game that mixes good humor and gentle strategy in a face-off for 2 to 6 players. Your goal is to be the first to get rid of your dominoes, leaving your opponents crestfallen.
- 2 - 6 players
- Every man for himself
- Evening with friends
- Indoor
- From 5 years old
Rules of the game
There is not exactly one single rule for playing dominoes. Here we deliver the rule that seems to us to be the most conventional. It is important to recall the rules in force at the beginning of the game, this can avoid misunderstandings that could break the good atmosphere.
Sitting around a table, players settle down and distribute dominoes face down (or face up for beginners or young children).
Each receives 7 dominoes for a 2-player game, 6 for 3-4 players, and 4 for 5-6 players. The remaining dominoes after distribution form the draw pile.
The objective is to get rid of all your dominoes as quickly as possible.
Sitting around a table, players settle down and distribute dominoes face down (or face up for beginners or young children).
Each receives 7 dominoes for a 2-player game, 6 for 3-4 players, and 4 for 5-6 players. The remaining dominoes after distribution form the draw pile.
The objective is to get rid of all your dominoes as quickly as possible.
Necessary accessories
A set of 28 dominoes numbered from 0 to 6.
Who starts?
Some dominoes have the same value twice. They are called double dominoes. The player with the highest double domino starts the round.
Procedure
It only remains for us to clarify how the game proceeds, namely that the players will take turns counterclockwise.
The first player places a domino in the middle.
On their turn, a player must place one of their dominoes at one end of the domino chain so that the number of points on the corresponding end of the chain matches that of their domino. For example, if one end of the chain shows four points, the player must place a domino with a four.
If a player cannot play, they must draw. If the draw pile is empty, they skip their turn.
On their turn, a player must place one of their dominoes at one end of the domino chain so that the number of points on the corresponding end of the chain matches that of their domino. For example, if one end of the chain shows four points, the player must place a domino with a four.
If a player cannot play, they must draw. If the draw pile is empty, they skip their turn.
The double dominoes
Doubles have a very special role in this game. They are usually placed perpendicularly to the other dominoes in the chain. This creates a sort of “branch” in the game. Indeed, placing a double opens up new directions of play. Players can add dominoes to both ends of the double as well as to the ends of the main chain. Placing a double can be a tactic to change the direction of the game or to use a domino that would otherwise be difficult to play.
Some game variants allow a player to play again after placing a double. However, this is not a rule we often encounter.
Some game variants allow a player to play again after placing a double. However, this is not a rule we often encounter.
End of the game
A round is over as soon as a player has placed all their dominoes or the game is blocked. The game is blocked if none of the players can play. In this case, the winning player is the one with the lowest sum of points on their remaining dominoes.
A game is finished when the predefined score objective is reached. Generally, the game stops at 100 or 200 points.
Score calculation
At the end of each round, sum the points on the dominoes of the remaining players and add this score to the previous rounds’ scores. In this game, having a high score is not a good sign.
Game situations
If you had to place this domino with the value 3-5, how would you place it?
1 and 3 are valid because you place the domino in line or at a corner, and the continuity of the game is not disrupted. This is not the case with 2, as it leads to a blocked domino chain.
If you had to place this domino with the value 5-5, how would you place it?
1, 2, and 3 are wrong!
The domino must be placed perpendicularly and centered.
Game variant in 2 vs 2 or doubles game
Competitions or tournaments are held with 4 players per team of 2. The 2 team members sit opposite each other. In this variant, each player has 7 dominoes at the beginning of the round (instead of 6). Therefore, there is no draw pile. As soon as one of the 2 players on a team runs out of dominoes, their team wins the round.
In this game mode, in each round, the winning team scores 0, and the opposing team scores based on the total of the remaining dominoes for both players.
We will provide more details on the 2 vs 2 game later.
A bit of history
The history of dominoes spans centuries and is rich in cultural evolution and expansion. Although the exact origin of the game is debated, here is a general overview of its history.
The game of dominoes originated in China in the 13th century and it could be even older. The first Chinese domino sets were likely representations of duplicated dice, originally used for court entertainment.
The game spread to Europe in the 18th century, probably introduced by Italian traders or missionaries. European dominoes, typically made of bone, ivory, or wood, were slightly different from their Chinese counterparts, with sets including pieces representing the 21 results of throwing two six-sided dice.
With its spread in Europe, the game evolved, giving rise to many variants and rules. Some of these variants became standalone games, with specific rules and distinct methods of play.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, the game of dominoes spread worldwide, becoming particularly popular in Latin America and the Caribbean. Each region developed its own variants and traditions around the game.
Today, dominoes are not just a game but an integral part of various cultures, often played in social and community settings.
The game of dominoes originated in China in the 13th century and it could be even older. The first Chinese domino sets were likely representations of duplicated dice, originally used for court entertainment.
The game spread to Europe in the 18th century, probably introduced by Italian traders or missionaries. European dominoes, typically made of bone, ivory, or wood, were slightly different from their Chinese counterparts, with sets including pieces representing the 21 results of throwing two six-sided dice.
With its spread in Europe, the game evolved, giving rise to many variants and rules. Some of these variants became standalone games, with specific rules and distinct methods of play.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, the game of dominoes spread worldwide, becoming particularly popular in Latin America and the Caribbean. Each region developed its own variants and traditions around the game.
Today, dominoes are not just a game but an integral part of various cultures, often played in social and community settings.
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